Iran’s Supreme Leader Affirms No Desire for War While Vowing to Defend National Rights

Tehran: In a written message broadcast on state television, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has declared that the Islamic Republic neither sought nor desires war with the United States or Israel, even as he pledged to uphold the country’s legitimate rights.

“We did not seek war and we do not want it,” Khamenei stated in the message, which was read out on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The timing coincided with the 40-day mark since the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 — the opening day of the ongoing conflict.

He went on to stress that Iran would not relinquish its rights under any circumstances. “In this respect, we consider the entire resistance front as a whole,” he added, an apparent allusion to Lebanon, where Israel continues to battle Tehran’s ally Hezbollah.

The message was reported by AFP and carried by Iranian state television.